No One Older (Pt 1)
Meta Timing: Six weeks after they meet, I think? Setting: University of Sydney Text Jackson strolls to a halt outside the Charlie's discussion session. ""—see why we hafta do this shit."" Checks the door. This is in fact Charlie's discussion group. ""/'Language!' We've got babies in the room!"" Checks his watch. Five minutes early. ""Oh, come /'on'! Everyone here's an adult!"" Gives himself a mental pat on the back. ""Not Charlie!"" Wait ... what? ""She's the same age as the rest of us!"" Of course she is. ""No, she's not!"" A beat. ""How old /'are' you?"" He can /hear her chin tilt that tiniest fraction upwards. ""Nineteen."" Nineteen ...? ""Seriously?"" She's a ... teenager? ""For reals?"" The arch of her eyebrow becomes just the tiniest bit more pronounced. /'Fuck.' ""On that revelation, it's time to call it a night. See everyone next week." Books close, chairs push back, feet scuffle. Charlie reaches the hallway first, braid swinging and green eyes flashing. Oh, I'm gonna go to the special hell. She doesn't look at Jackson as he falls into step beside her. He succeeds in holding his tongue for exactly as long as it takes to reach the lobby but then— "Why didn't you tell me you were only nineteen?!" hisses Jackson. "And give you another thing to you against me?" she sneers. "Wha? Use against— Charlie, I wouldn't do that! Why would I want to hurt you?!" She scoffs. Why are you like this? Jackson does not pull out his hair, opts to grind out, "Why is it so hard for us to talk!?" "Why /'should' we talk?" Charlie snaps. "We're in a relationship!" "Are we now." "I stay the night!" exclaims Jackson. Charlie picks up her pace. "Doesn't mean anything." "We make dinner together! And breakfast." He jogs after her. "We play video games!" She whirls on him. "Does. Not. Mean. A. Thing." Jackson flounders. "Do /'not' follow me." He nods. She turns her heel and then ... she's gone. Jackson stumbles to a bench. Just like that. She's gone— He swallows. She's gone, he's going to hell, and .... The world tips every way but flat. She doesn't care. She's gone and she doesn't care. She's gone and she doesn't care and he's going to hell. O dear god. She's gone and she doesn't care. Everything gets kinda staticky. "Uh, 'scuse me?" says a tall person. Charlie's skin is two shots of paler autumn from theirs. "Custodial's locking up so you hafta—" "Leave?" Charlie left. "I was gonna phrase it as 'mope elsewhere' but your way is more tactful." "Okay." Jackson heaves himself to his feet. "'night." "Take care." She doesn't. He pushes through the door of the cold engineering building into the cold weather raining—that doesn't make any sense he's being dramatic and failing. And it's raining. And it's cold. Perfect. Just ... perfect. He starts walking. Need No One: [[No One Older (Pt 1)|'No One Older (Pt 1)']] | Time to Think | No One Older (Pt 2) | Wiser Category:Ficlet Category:You Need No One arc Category:Charlie Category:Charlie is a student Category:Charlie prefers nonverbal communication Category:Charlie is intimidating Category:Jackson Category:Jackson is a drama llama Category:Ficlets with placement links